In the sport of basketball a player can shoot a basketball towards a basketball goal from an infinite number of possible locations. Each shot is typically aimed at either a horizontally-oriented rim of the basketball goal or a vertically-oriented backboard that is adjacent the rim and useful for banking shots into the rim.
A skilled player can shoot the basketball such that the basketball hits the targeted backboard and/or enters the rim at some point along its trajectory. However, during play a basketball player may shoot a basketball in such a manner that the ball misses its targeted rim or backboard and travels into the area behind and/or adjacent to the basketball goal. Basketball shots that continue past the backboard may become cumbersome and time-consuming to retrieve, thus interrupting play. Additionally, errant shots can cause damage to various valuables or surroundings and/or risk injury or harm to small children who pursue the errantly shot ball.
In light of the burdensome and harmful effects of errant basketball shots, a number of apparatuses have been developed in an effort to help stop errant basketball from traveling into the area behind the basketball goal. Unfortunately, many of the existing collection apparatuses interfere with one's ability to move around the basketball goal assembly during periods of non-use. Additionally, many of the existing collection apparatuses are unsightly, having large and/or protruding portions that substantially increase the space that the basketball goal assembly occupies. During windy conditions, increased forces may be exerted on these large and/or protruding portions and are transmitted to the basketball goal assembly, thus increasing the likelihood of damage to the collection apparatus and/or the basketball goal assembly. Additionally, many of the collection apparatuses may be difficult to set-up and/or take-down before and/or after periods of use.
Thus new devices for minimizing errant basketball shots are desired.